In Loving Memory
by Jems Clockwork Angel
Summary: They were just children when they first met. It wasn't based on family ties or blood status. Now she's out to prove that she's not just another Weasley. In the end, what side will Draco and Ginny end up on? And will they make it out alive?
1. Chapter 1

_The Harry Potter books obviously do not belong to me. I am just borrowing some of the characters._

The small girl bounced along carelessly, her wild red hair flying freely behind her. She was wearing a rather large, faded yellow t-shirt that fell just above her knees, and a crown of white flowers sat precariously upon her head. Her bare feet hit the ground in rhythmic steps, and she giggled out loud as the soft grass brushed against her smooth skin. She slowed down as she reached the edge of the forest just beyond her house. The sun filtered through the leaves, and the shadows danced upon the forest floor as a breeze swept through the branches.

She paused for a moment to listen to the sound of birds singing high up in their nests. Then, a sudden movement caught her eye. A few feet in front of her sat a rabbit, its head cocked to the side as if it was appraising her. A moment later, it took off between the trees, and she followed it. She was after all, a curious child. She soon lost sight of it and had to stop for air.

"What are you doing?" asked a cool voice. The girl looked up with surprise to find a small boy, one pale eyebrow raised. He couldn't have been too much older than her. He was just a few inches taller, and he had pale blond hair. His skin was also very pale, and she wondered if he was a ghost. Her warm brown eyes met his cool blue ones.

"I'm just playing," she stated, giving him a small smile. "Do you want to play with me? Are you a ghost? Where are you from?" Her curiosity was not a thing that she could often control.

He smirked at her. "There are no ghosts, silly. Why would I want to play with a silly little girl that believes in ghosts?" He stepped forward, just a foot away from her now, and looked down his short, pointy nose at her.

"There are too! My best friend, Luna, said that her mum is a ghost, and she talks to her all of the time!" she said defiantly and stuck her small, pink tongue out at him. "So what are you then?"

"I am a dragon," he stated with pride. He held his hand up in front of the small girl's face to show her the silver dragon that was wrapped around his middle finger. Its eyes gleamed up at her, and she could have sworn that it moved. She poked it curiously, and it moved its head toward her finger and snapped at it with small silver teeth.

"Owe!" she cried out as blood started to bead on her finger. Her bottom lip started to quiver as she tried not to cry. The boy noticed the tears that were started to fill her eyes and rolled his eyes muttering about silly girls. He pulled a pale green handkerchief out of his pocket and started to dab at the blood on her finger.

"Better?" he asked softly. She bit her lip but nodded slightly. He pulled away from her, leaving the handkerchief in the palm of her hand. "I should get going."

"But what about this?" she held out the hand that was holding his handkerchief. Two small red dots of her blood stood out on the pale fabric, drawing her attention to the dragon that was embroidered in silver thread in one corner.

His blue eyes surveyed the piece of fabric and shook his head. "You keep it." He then took off, running in the opposite direction of her house, and she stood there starting at his retreating form.

"Ginny! Where are you?" she could just barely hear the frantic cry of her mother, but she followed it back to the edge of the forest. Her brown eyes looked back over her shoulder every so often, wondering if she would see her new friend again. She felt warm arms around her, and her feet soon left the ground. "You scared me nearly to death, dear! Where have you been?" Her mother spun back toward the house, holding the small girl tightly.

"I met a dragon…" whispered the girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny lay in her bed, full of nervous energy. The very next day, she would be getting her first wand, just one step closer to going to Hogwarts. She threaded a small piece of green fabric through her fingers as she stared at the ceiling. She didn't see the long, thin crack running across the ceiling, nor did she see the stain in the corner just above her bed. Instead, she saw a pale boy. It was a ghost of a memory, but she could still see his pale blue eyes regarding her with curiosity. It had been five years since that day in the forest.

She sighed heavily and rolled over onto her stomach, the pink floral sheet tangling around her legs. Sleep finally claimed her, but the handkerchief with the silver dragon was still clutched in one of her pale hands.

It seemed like only moments later, her mother was rushing in to wake her. "Ginny, dear, you must wake up! You've overslept!" The older woman clucked her tongue, and rushed about pulling out clothes for Ginny to wear.

She sat up in her bed quite suddenly, looking at her mother with horror. "Why didn't anyone wake me sooner?" she asked loudly as she raced out of her room toward the bathroom. She banged on the door until her brother's face appeared in the doorway. A toothbrush was hanging from his mouth, but that didn't stop him from speaking. "Are you mad?" he asked.

He nearly choked on his toothbrush as she pulled him out of the way, slamming the door in his face. "Mum! Ginny's gone mental!" he stated, a toothbrush still hanging from his mouth. A bit of drool started to make its way down his chin. Molly stopped briefly to wave her wand and muttered a spell that would clean up the drool before continuing down the stairs to finish making breakfast.

Not long after, a group of Weasleys and one very flustered looking Harry Potter were rushing to eat their breakfast. "Hurry up dearies. We don't want to miss the book signing," said Molly with a slight blush to her cheeks. The twins rolled their eyes and started to make fun of their mother as she moved about collecting dishes. The words 'Lockhart' and 'love' could be heard being muttered between the two.

Mr. Weasley quickly ushered the children toward the fireplace, just barely large enough for a person to stand in and covered in soot. Ron made a big deal about Harry not being used to this means of travel and proudly took it upon himself to show him how it was done. Harry soon followed, and they all stared in horror as he disappeared. Molly asked what the boy said, knowing that his annunciation was off. She sighed, stating how they would have to retrieve him when they got to Diagon Alley.

Ginny went next, carefully speaking the words of her destination. The fire engulfed her, causing her a bit of discomfort. She soon joined her brother, though, and started to brush off her skirt. Ron gave her a glare, still angry about what happened earlier that morning. After they were joined by the rest of their family, Arthur took off too look for Harry, and Molly herded them toward the book store. Ron went to find Hermione in the crowd, Molly joined the crowd that was fawning over the man signing books, and the other boys dispersed to search for their books.

Ginny looked at the man signing books with curiosity, but moved toward the staircase while skimming through the books on her list for school. She didn't notice the boy standing just at the top of the stairs until she bumped into him. "Oh sorry…" she started as she looked up. She noticed his pale blue eyes at once. "It's you," she said, barely audible above the commotion on the main floor.

Recognition flashed across his face pale, but regal features. "You look familiar…" he said, before she wrapped her arms around his waist. He shifted a bit, unsure of how to react before he realized who she was. "You're the girl from the forest," he said, remembering the small girl dressed in yellow with flowers in her hair. He relaxed a bit and he took in her appearance. She had a natural beauty about her, and she smelled of vanilla and honey. Her skin was covered in freckles, like cinnamon dust against her pale skin. She pulled away then, a smile lighting up her face. Her eyes were warm and bright, and they seemed to be full of secrets. She had smooth curls of auburn hair tucked back with a white flower.

"What are you doing here?" she asked brightly. He held up a book in response and pulled her away from the stairs so that a young couple and their son could pass. "Do you go to Hogwarts? What is it like?" she continued, curious if she would be seeing him around school.

"Always asking questions," he said, smirking a bit. "Of course I go to Hogwarts. Let's see your list then," he said, holding out his hand. She produced the list, and he turned to search for the books. He pulled out a brand new book for her history class, and she blushed slightly. "That looks really expensive. Perhaps they have older ones?" He gave her an odd look before trading the book with an older one that looked as though it had been collecting dust for the past century. She nodded her head, just as they heard a shout from downstairs.

"Ah Harry, my boy!" Lockhart shouted. He pulled a confused looking Harry up to join him. Flashes of cameras lit up the main floor, and the boy that Ginny was with rolled his eyes. "Always looking for attention, that one…" he muttered as he moved back toward the stairs. She followed him down the stairs, not yet ready to let him out of her sight.

"Just can't stay out of the spotlight, eh Potter?" He came to a stop on the last step next to a man that shared a striking resemblance to him. Ron stood next to Harry, both glaring at the boy. Molly quickly made her way around the two men to grab hold of Ginny's free hand. "Come along dear," she muttered, dragging the girl toward the rest of her family. The boy with blue eyes raised his eyebrow at her but said nothing.

"Keeping rather horrid company as always, Arthur," said the older man, gesturing toward Hermione and her parents.

"Quite interesting actually. They were just telling me about the number two pencil," stated Arthur proudly.

"What nonsense. No wonder you can't even provide your children with nice things." As to make his point, he grabbed the stack of books that Ginny was holding. "Mingling with muggles," he scoffed, shoving the books back toward Ginny. "Come Draco." He turned and stalked out of the store without another glance back. Draco paused for just a moment to look at Ginny. He shook his head as if he was considering something and decided against it. Then he followed his father, leaving a rather confused Ginny in his wake.


	3. Chapter 3

Ginny looked out the window, waving to her mother who shouted words of encouragement to her. The train started to pull away, and she sat back down in her seat. Across from her sat one of her childhood friends who seemed to be rather engrossed in a magazine. She thought about mentioning to her that it was upside down, but she just shook her head with a small smile on her face. Luna always was an odd one.

She stood, mentioning briefly that she was going to take a look around. She was wandering past several compartments full of chattering students, a few of which were debating on what house they would like to be placed in. She though briefly about that as well, but she assumed that she would be placed in Gryffindor like all of her brothers. She was contemplating this matter when a hand shot out of one of the compartments and dragged her in, sliding the door closed after them. He held one pale hand over her mouth until she registered his blue eyes and light blond hair.

She didn't hug him this time, thinking about the way he looked at her at the book shop. "Who are you?" she asked with a serious look on her face.

"I am Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, a pureblood." He looked at her, waiting for her to recognize his family name. She thought back on a few of the conversations that she heard from her father. He would talk about how they were a rich and powerful family, but they were also followers of Lord Voldemort.

"What does this mean?" she asked slowly, searching his face for a sign. He looked paler than usual, and he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"It means that we can never be seen together. Your family is a disgrace to all purebloods," he stated seriously. His words seemed forced, but she didn't like where this was going.

She lifted her head in defiance. "I am not my parents. You shouldn't judge me based on their actions."

He shook his head. "You're just a silly girl," he said, turning to leave. One of her hands flew out to grasp his hand. "You will see," she said, her voice strong. He considered this for a moment before leaving. She exited not long after and returned to her compartment. Luna was muttering something about a flying car, and she was greeted by a boy with chubby cheeks and a boyish smile. He was holding a rather large frog that he called Trevor.

A girl that Ginny remembered as Hermione came in, her eyes full of intelligence and her chin lifted high. "Why aren't you three dressed yet? We should be arriving soon." She started to leave but then turned to Ginny. "You haven't seen your brother or Harry, have you?" Apparently not as all knowing as she thought. Ginny shook her head, and Hermione took off, her robes trailing after her like a dark shadow.

Ginny changed into her robes before settling back into her seat with a black journal that she got at the book store. She didn't remember Draco handing it too her, but she figured she was more focused on his amazing eyes. She smiled to herself as she opened the journal. It was just as blank as it was when she first looked at it, but what did she expect? She figured now was a good as time as any to start writing in it. The boy seemed to be preoccupied with talking to Luna about some plant.

She wrote the date in the upper right hand corner and then started with 'I am Ginny Weasley, and today is my first day at Hogwarts. I shall soon reach the school and be sorted….' She came to a sudden halt as she realized that her delicate lettering was slowly disappearing as she wrote. Not long after, words started to appear on the page, but they were not her own. 'Hello Ginny, I am Tom." She felt a shiver run down her spine, but she wasn't sure why. It seemed odd but harmless enough. Perhaps it was similar to the muggle email that her father was yammering about just last week. They were able to send messages back and forth within seconds by using a large box called a computer.

'Hello Tom. It is nice to meet you. How old are you? Where are you from? Do you know anything about Hogwarts?' Her words faded again, and it was odd, but it seemed like she could almost feel him laughing. It wasn't in a mean way. It seemed more like he found her curiosity amusing. 'I am 16, and I was a student at Hogwarts. Where I am shouldn't concern you for now. Have you thought about which house you would like to be sorted into?' She shook her head as she wrote back to him. 'I haven't really thought about which one I would like to be sorted in. I figure I will probably end up in Gryffindor with all of my brothers.' Another shiver went down her spine. He seemed displeased with her reply. 'You should consider other houses. For instance, Slytherin is a great house. Many great and powerful wizards have come from it.'

Her pen was pressed against the page as she started to reply, but the train stopped. Students started to file out of their compartments, so Ginny quickly closed the journal and retrieved her things. The other two did the same, and they left together. On the platform, they were greeted by a great man who called himself Hagrid. He directed the first years toward a group of boats, telling them to leave their belongings on the platform. The boy they were sitting with gave them both an encouraging smile before they parted.

Luna and Ginny sat in a boat with two other girls that seemed to be twins. One would start a sentence and the other would finish for her. Luna, however, seemed to be paying no attention at all. Her hand trailed through the dark water that they were traveling on, and she murmured words about mermaids.

They soon reached the great castle that was Hogwarts, a dark velvet sky draped behind it. Ginny pulled her robe tighter around her to ward off the cool breeze as she considered Tom's words. She was curious about the other houses, but all of her family was in Gryffindor. Its colors were rather gaudy, though, she thought with a smile.

Hagrid ushered them in through the large wooden doors toward a large staircase. He left them only to be replaced by a tall woman that held an air of power. Heavy green fabric with intricate patterns embroidered down the front was draped over her body, and a matching hat sat upon her gray hair that was tucked back in a severe bun. She started speaking about the houses, describing the traits of each. The last one she spoke of was Slytherin. The very word made her face look rather sour. Ginny listened carefully, curious about this house above all others due to Tom's advice.

They were soon taken into the room just beyond the stairs. It was glorious and took Ginny's breath away. Her attention soon moved around the room, surveying the four tables. She noticed her brothers right away, their hair clashing quite terribly with the red and gold colors of their house. She then felt as if someone was watching her, and she soon moved her eyes toward a different table, one shrouded in green and silver. He was there, his pale blue eyes watching her as she walked along with the other students. She could almost picture herself sitting with him at that table, wearing the house colors. There was a girl sitting next to him looking rather mysterious and somewhat dangerous, but he didn't seem to notice her hand sliding down his arm or the words she was purring in his ear. His cool eyes were on Ginny, causing her head to rise with confidence.

The lady was speaking again, drawing Ginny's attention back to the front of the room. Beside her sat a rather old looking hat resting upon a plain stool. She started to call the names of first year students. Each one filtered through the crowd toward the stool, waiting for the verdict. Some looked nervous while others looked as if they already knew what was coming. It took only seconds for the hat to decide for a number of students, many of which were placed in Slytherin. Ginny started to feel a bit dizzy, her eyes unconsciously drifting toward the table draped in green and silver. She found the pale blue eyes, but they looked darker, angrier. His features were a bit sharper as well. The girl next to him seemed different as well, and then Ginny realized they were in fact different people. Both seemed to have a resemblance to Draco, but he was nowhere to be found. The girl leaned in to place a kiss just below the boy's jaw, causing Ginny to blush. Her hand slid behind his neck, pulling his attention toward her. He roughly claimed her lips in response, and Ginny could feel her heart starting to race

"Luna Lovegood," called the lady in green, shaking Ginny from her reverie with the familiar name. Luna gave Ginny a small smile before making her way toward the front of the hall. The lady placed the hat gently upon her head, and it took only moments before it shouted, "Hufflepuff!" Luna jumped off the stool and bounced toward the table of clapping students.

More names were called out, and Ginny's attention again drifted back toward the boy with blue eyes. The mysterious couple from before had disappeared, and Draco was there once more. He was still looking at her, emotions shifting across his face. She nearly missed it when her name was called. Still wrapped in her own thoughts, she drifted toward the stool. She sat down upon it carefully and looked back out upon the sea of students. The hat was placed on her head, and she started to hear thoughts race through her head. They were not her own though.

'Ah, another Weasley, just as brave as the others I see! You would do well in Gryffindor, but there seems to be something more. You share a similar sense of mischief with those twins, but it's a bit different. You yearn for adventure and long for attention that you've been denied all these years because of your brothers. I see you have a strong sense of loyalty, but it seems to be a bit torn. There is uncertainty I see. You wish to please your family, but deep down I can sense a desire…"

It seemed like hours passed before the hat came to a conclusion. She looked out at her peers but everyone seemed out of focus. Her heartbeat seemed erratic and an odd ringing had taken up residence in her head. She barely registered that the hat seemed to pull itself up straight, ready to announce its decision. "Slytherin!" it stated loudly. Everything snapped sharply back into place, and Ginny breathed in deeply. It took her a minute to process what had just happened. It took her even less time to register that no one was clapping. Shock seemed to hang in the air. A Weasley had just been sorted into Slytherin.

Ginny searched for a sign of acceptance from her house, quickly running along the table until they landed on Draco. He didn't share the same look of hatred that the other Slytherins seemed to be regarding her with, but his look didn't seem quite so encouraging either. The lady standing next to her was frozen in place, a look of confusion on her face. Ginny then looked to her brothers. She noticed Ron and Harry had joined Hermione sometime during the sorting. They all were wearing looks of horror, and Ron started to stand. Hermione pulled him back down beside her. The twins didn't look angry, just a bit confused.

"You best go find a seat," the lady finally stammered as she removed the hat. Over the lady's shoulder, she saw a man with dark hair and a black robe give her a small nod, though his face looked as though he had just tasted something bitter.

Ginny slid off the stool, and she walked slowly toward the table of green and silver. Just a few feet down the row, she heard a shout that she recognized as Ron's. "This is ridiculous!" He nearly fell over the bench before starting to march toward the lady holding the hat. Harry and Hermione quickly followed, grabbing for Ron, trying to get him to stop. The lady held up a hand. "Please return to your seat, Mr. Weasley." Harry finally grabbed a hold of Ron, and Hermione was speaking words to him that Ginny couldn't hear. They returned to their seats, but Ron didn't look happy about it.

Ginny continued to make her way down the row, finally stopping behind the only person she knew. "Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked softly. Draco regarded her with cool eyes but made his decision. He nodded to the boy next to him, and he moved over. Ginny sat down gracefully in between the two, her expression guarded. "I guess you aren't like the rest of your family," he stated quietly, before returning his attention to the front of the room. Those around her shot her looks of disgust, anger, and curiosity. One girl, whom Ginny recognized as another first year, gave her a small smile.

The sorting ceremony continued without incident, but the fervor from before had dissipated. The headmaster ended with a closing speech, stating a few rules and announcements. Finally, with a wave of his hands, food appeared on the tables and conversation seemed to erupt. Many students from a number of tables were sending not so inconspicuous looks in her direction, but Ginny tried to ignore their glances.

She kept her hands in her lap and tugged the handkerchief gently out of her sleeve. She kept her expression cool, but beneath the table she pulled the fabric nervously between her fingers. Draco glanced down at her hands, and smirked slightly. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Don't show weakness."


	4. Chapter 4

The dinner passed rather uneventfully, and she took Draco's advice. She managed to stop fidgeting with the handkerchief, and nibbled on a bit of tart. She yearned to fall into her bed, but she refrained from leaving until at least half of the other students had left. After all, Ginny didn't want her new house mates to think she was a coward. The other first year girl who had smiled at her earlier started to stand and glanced at Ginny with her head tilted a bit. This was all the encouragement that she needed. Slowly she stood and started to follow the girl out of the hall. She briefly glanced back a Draco who looked rather uncomfortable as the girl next to him tried to feed him a bit of her pie.

"I'm Anna Parkinson," she said softly, looping her arm through Ginny's. She seemed to know where she was going, so Ginny let her lead.

"I'm Ginny We…"

"Oh, I know who you are," Anna stated with a laugh. "I'm sure the whole school knows your name after that scene from earlier. I though McGonagall was going to have a heart attack, and your brother's face… Could he turn any more red? I thought you handled it well though. Honestly, Slytherin isn't that bad."

Ginny wasn't sure how to respond, but she nodded slighting, taking in the sorting debacle. She didn't mind being sorted into Slytherin, but her brother's reaction bothered her. They often have their disagreements, but the look on his face hurt her. He looked so disappointed and angry with her.

Anna nudged her a bit with her elbow. "It'll be alright."

Ginny realized that they had stopped in front of a dark ebony door, dimly lit by a torch. "Silver kiss…" Anna whispered. Ginny's attention was drawn to the metal snake that adorned the dark wood. It seemed to hiss as the lock clicked and the door creaked open.

Ginny regarded the girl with curiosity. "How did you…" her words seemed to trail off as they entered the large room lit by a warm fire. It cast mysterious shadows across the room and made the silver chandelier shimmer. She realized that it was made up of snakes intertwined with emerald eyes that seemed to glow with fire.

"I visit my sister here on occasion with my mum. She has a tendency to prattle on about things. I know pretty much everything about Hogwarts, Slytherin in particular." Anna continued to pull her along past the warm glow of the fire toward the winding staircase. They walked down a long hallway lit by gothic style torches holding slighting melted candles.

Anna finally stopped in front of a door that had four names engraved in a silver plaque on the door. Anna smiled brightly at Ginny and opened the door with a flourish. "Welcome home."

She wondered in, followed closely by Anna. The other two girls were already in the room, chattering excitedly on the sofa in the middle of the room. There were also a couple of chairs and a glossy ebony coffee table, as well as a small fireplace. There were alcoves with beds to either side of the sitting area. Both of the girls turned toward them as they entered.

"Oh! We were wondering when we were going to see you. You weren't with the rest of us when we left with the prefects," said one of the girls. She smiled politely at them, while the other girl remained silent. A scowl seemed to grow deeper by the minute on her face as she regarded Ginny with distain.

"You know I don't like to rush my dinner, Edellen." Anna walked toward the smiling girl and placed a kiss on her cheek. "It's been too long. You weren't at any of the parties this summer."

"Yes well, my parents decided to cart me off to France. Really, I don't understand their fascination with that tower. It's really rather horrid looking in my opinion. Oh, how rude of me! This is my cousin, Kyra." She gestured toward the scowling girl. She looked like a porcelain doll with dark black curls and pale flawless skin. Ginny couldn't see any family resemblance to the very tan skinned, blonde haired Edellen.

Anna smiled brightly at the girl, trying to relieve some of the tension. "Very nice to meet you, Kyra. You were at the Malfoy's Christmas part a couple of years ago, weren't you?"

Kyra nodded sharply before standing and waltzing over to one of the beds to the left of the room.

Edellen smiled apologetically. "Sorry, she's not very fond of your family, Ginny. I traded beds with you, I hope that's alright. I figured it'd be best if you two were as far away as possible." She gestured toward Ginny's old faded black trunk that rested in at the foot of one of the beds of the right. An elegant white trunk with black leather straps and a silver lock with the letters ACP engraved on it sat next to the other bed.

"That's fine," Ginny said politely. She supposed the odds were pretty good. At least two of her new roommates liked her, or at the very least tolerated her.

"I suppose I should turn in," stated Edellen. "I'll see both of you in potions class bright and early." She sauntered over to the bed next to Kyra, and fell rather ungracefully onto the green satin sheets.

"Maybe we should do the same?" Ginny turned toward Anna who was rummaging around in her trunk.

Anna glanced over her shoulder at Ginny with mischievous eyes. "Are you kidding? The night is still young, and there are boys to terrorize," she said with a laugh. She turned back toward her trunk. "Here, put this on." Anna tossed a black cloak over her shoulder at Ginny, and pulled a similar one out for herself.

Ginny smiled to herself. Anna reminded her of the twins. Ginny quickly pulled the smooth fabric over her shoulders and tugged the hood over her head. It swished over her pale skin like dark water, making her shiver with excitement.

Anna nodded, pleased with herself. "I thought that might fit. It's one of my old ones. I hope that's alright?" she questioned as she pulled on her own cloak.

"Are you kidding? It's nicer than any of mine," Ginny stated, a slight blush creeping over her face.

"Well feel free to borrow any of my things. We're nearly the same size, and a lot of my older clothes might fit you," she said with a smile. She grabbed a hold of her hand and tugged her out the door. Anna pulled her own hood up over her head as she walked quickly down the hallway. Ginny followed silently behind her.

They wandered down the stairs and across the nearly deserted common room. One student had fallen asleep on the sofa near the fireplace, but there weren't any other witnesses to see the two girls creep up the stairs toward the boys' dorms.

"So, what shall it be? Spiders in the bed, whipped cream in the hair? I know a few spells that could have interesting effects?" Anna stopped next to the first door, and Ginny gazed at the plaque. She didn't recognize any of the names, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Anna tapped her finger on her chin, and her eyes seemed to light up after a few moments. She pulled out her wand and started to mutter a spell. Ginny regarded her curiously as she waited for something to happen. Then she noticed that the door knob seemed to be taking on an orange glow.

"I wonder how the potions master will react when all of his first years are MIA?" Anna asked, not really expecting Ginny to answer.

Ginny watched as the knob started to sag. "What are you doing?" she whispered, full of curiosity.

"Oh just melting it a little so they can't unlock their door. Don't worry, I'm sure they'll find a way to get out. Perhaps up the chimney?" she said with a laugh.

Ginny replied with a mischievous smile of her own. "How can I help?"

It took only moments for Anna to teach Ginny the spell, and the two girls made their way down the hall. About halfway through, Ginny stopped in front of a door, gazing at the plaque. Anna came up behind her.

"Oh, the famous Malfoy and his merry little goons. Perhaps a special treatment is in order?" Before Ginny could respond, Anna waved her wand and muttered a spell. The lock clicked, and Anna pushed the door open, shoving Ginny in first.

Ginny stopped near one of the chairs and twisted the handkerchief between her fingers. She watched as Anna crept over to one of the beds and pulled the shear green fabric back to reveal a peaceful looking angel of a boy. Ginny slowly moved to Anna's side, careful not to make a sound. She could hear Anna whispering something softly, her wand making lazy circles over Malfoy's pale hair. A green glow was dripping from the tip on her wand, making streaks through his hair.

Suddenly, a fire roared up in the fireplace and a voice whispered Draco's name rather persistently. The handkerchief slipped from Ginny's fingers as Draco started to stir. Anna quickly grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her toward the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny and Anna fell against their door, laughing wildly, Ginny's a bit more of the nervous sort.

"Oh merlin, that was close. Could you imagine the great and powerful Draco Malfoy finding us in his dorm in the middle of the night? I wonder who that was calling on him so late at night. Maybe it's his girlfriend!" Anna prattled on excitedly.

Ginny blushed slightly. She didn't want to imagine what Draco would do if he found her like that. That last thing she needed was to think she was a stalker. She bit her lip as she reached for her handkerchief, but came up empty. The blood slowly drained from her face.

Anna looked at Ginny curiously. "What's wrong Gin? It looks as if you've seen a ghost, or more accurately it looks like you are one." Anna poked Ginny in the ribs gently.

"I dropped it… My handkerchief. Back in Malfoy's room," stammered Ginny.

Anna paled slightly, but she came up with a reply quickly. "Don't worry. I'm sure there are a ton of girls that could have left that in his room," Anna said with a wink.

"No!" Ginny said rather harshly, before calming herself. He knows that it's mine. He… erm… saw it with me at dinner tonight." Ginny wasn't sure she wanted Anna to know that it was actually Draco's handkerchief that he gave to her all those years ago. She liked the girl, but she still didn't know her all that well.

Anna rubbed her back gently. "Perhaps he won't see it. Maybe we can get an invitation to their dorm soon, and you can get it then. I've had a crush on Nott for a while, so I can work something out to benefit us both." Anna nodded with certainty. "So… who do you think it was?"

Ginny gave her a small smile, trying to believe in her new friend. "Who do I think what was?"

"The person who was calling upon him so late! Girlfriend? Mother? Secret admirer?" Anna pressed on.

"Would you two shut up?!" Kyra's sharp voice came from within the dark room causing both of the girls to jump.

"Sorry…" Ginny murmured softly.

The two girls crept over to their trunks and rummaged around until they found pajamas, and change quietly as to not bring about the wrath of Kyra. Ginny was tying her drawstring shorts with the pale pink bunny rabbits that her mother got her for her birthday a couple of years ago when she finally decided to answer Anna. "It was probably just his mother or maybe a sister or cousin…" Her words trailed off. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want to be a girlfriend. Not one who felt comfortable enough to call upon him so late at night.

"Yeah," Anna said softly. "I don't think he has a sister, but it was probably just his mother." She turned away from Ginny and crawled into bed.

Ginny nodded to herself as she crept into her own bed and drew the shear green curtains closed. It seemed like only moments later when Kyra and Edellen were chatting excitedly about their schedules as they got ready for class.

"Gin…. Come on Gin. We've got to get ready for class," murmured Anna before yawning daintily. She pinched Ginny's arm. Ginny replied by swatting her hand away.

"Okay, okay. I'm up," Ginny mumbled into her pillow. She rolled over and stumbled rather ungracefully out of her bed. She could hear tittering coming from the opposite side of the room.

"Nice shorts," Kyra said in a mock whisper. Ginny couldn't help but to blush. The girl looked so regal with her hair tucked back with diamond pins and deep red lips that contrasted with her smooth, porcelain skin.

Anna bumped Ginny with her elbow playfully. "I think they're cute." Ginny smiled in return, but she honestly didn't care for that word. Cute. She was always the cute, little girl. She longed for someone to call her beautiful or stunning.

Anna turned away to gather her things to take a shower, and Ginny followed not long after.

She stripped down and tossed her clothed over the door of the stall she was in. She turned on the water and let the warmth seep into her skin. Ginny was rather fond of showers, and she sometimes wished they could last forever. It always turned cold though, and left her feeling rather sad. Good things never seemed to last forever.

Ginny and Anna quickly pulled on their uniforms, but Anna made Ginny change into one of her skirts. Most of Ginny's clothing was secondhand, and her skirt was nearly falling off of her small hips. Anna's was a bit too big for her as well, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about it falling down in the middle of the great hall or something equally as embarrassing.

Ginny blushed as she stood in front of Anna in the short skirt. Anna must have had her specially altered because it was a good four inches shorter than the one's Ginny had.

Anna clapped her hands together. "You look so adorable! Here, let me help you with that." Anna saw her fingers fumbling with the green and silver tie. She quickly had it straightened out, and the two girls collected their things before heading up to the great hall. Just outside the doors stood none other than Draco Malfoy. He seemed to be waiting rather impatiently as a girl tugged on his arm toward the hall.

"Pansy, go sit down already. I'll be there in a minute," he said rather harshly. He glanced up, and his eyes lit up with recognition as they landed on Ginny. A smirk graced his aristocratic face, and his expression revealed nothing. "Ah, girl Weasley. Just who I wanted to speak with. Anna, could you please escort you sister to her table? I think she's forgotten the way."

Anna started to speak, but Draco cast her a cool glance. She quickly pulled her sister along into the great hall to a rather empty looking Slytherin table.

"Shall we?" Draco offered her an arm and directed her toward the large doors that led outside. She could have sworn his features sharpened as they stepped out into the sunlight, closely resembling the boy she saw during the sorting, but the vision quickly vanished.

"So did you sleep well?" Draco asked softly, speaking as if he didn't want to frighten her. Ginny mumbled a response that sounded positive, and he quickly moved on. "Did you do anything interesting? I see that you've made friends with Anna. She's always been of the troublesome sort. Playing jokes on people and what not."

"No!" Ginny stated rather quickly. "I mean, it was really boring. We all wanted to get a good night's rest, so we went straight to bed as soon as we got done with dinner." She hoped that she wasn't blushing too terribly. He was making her incredibly nervous, and she wished he would just come right out and say it if he knew she had been there. Just put her out of her misery.

Draco's smirk deepened. "Is that so? Well then I suppose this must have just apparated into my room on its own?" He tugged a handkerchief out of his pocket, one with an embroidered dragon and two drops of blood. Her handkerchief.

"I'm so sorry…" She reached out to take the small piece of cloth back, but he held it out of her reach.

"Not so fast. Did anything occur while you were in my dorm?" He regarded her with a guarded expression.

Ginny tilted her head curiously. "Not really. I mean, I think your mother was calling on you, but nothing too thrilling happened. Why?"

"Ah… yes my mother. Always worrying. No reason." He smiled and dropped the handkerchief into her hands. "You should be more careful with that. It's probably worth more than that house of yours."

Ginny knew her blush was visible now. "Hey…" she started rather angrily. She grabbed for his hand.

"Now now, I don't know if I'm ready for holding hands yet, little Weasley." He pulled his hand out of reach and stalked away with a bounce in his step. "Oh, and by the way," he said over his shoulder. "Next time you're over, I'll give you the grand tour. I fear that you didn't get to see everything you wanted." He winked at her before disappearing back into the castle.

She was left there sputtering as it occurred to her what he was hinting at. Tight in her grasp was the handkerchief. A brief memory of the boy he used to be. The boy who thought he was a dragon.


	6. Chapter 6

"We're in!" stated Anna, full of excitement as she poked a cinnamon roll around her plate. Ginny regarded her with curiosity. Anna sighed dramatically. "We have a date with the lovely men of Slytherin. Eight o'clock sharp!" Her glance drifted away for a moment, and she winked at a rather handsome and fit looking boy sitting a few seats away. He gave her a cocky grin in return. Ginny shook her head. Not really her type, but she figured they would make a cute couple.

A smile rose to Ginny's lips, remembering the hint that Draco dropped before he left. The ball was in her court. Her own eyes drifted to a boy with blond hair. He turned to her, feeling the heat of her gaze. She gave him a sweet little smile, devising a plan in her mind as he regarded her with a cool curiosity. A pale eyebrow rose, daring her to look away first. She would let him win for now; she would let him believe he was stronger than her. Her eyes drifted down to her lap, a pose of innocence. A secret smile graced her lips, hidden from his view.

Ginny stood in front of Anna's gilded, antique mirror, fidgeting as Anna tugged at her auburn hair. She was wearing one of Anna's old dressed, a thin, gossamer dress that was a pale green. "You look so sweet, Gin," stated Anna as she pulled Ginny's hair into a half pony tail, clipping the curls into place with a small, crystal rose barrette. Tendrils framed her pale red face. The dress was cute, but the neckline plunged a bit lower than she was used to. She tried to take comfort in the fact that she looked like an angel next to Anna who was dress in a sleek, strapless black dress.

"Ready?" asked Anna, placing her hands gently on Ginny's shoulders. Ginny nodded, taking a deep breath. It was show time.

Anna looped her arm through Ginny's and guided her down the hall, taking her time to reach the boys' dorm. After all, they didn't want to seem too eager. Finally, they reached the dorm, the door propped open, a warm fire blazing inside. Anna directed them to the sofas where the boys were lounging. She sat down next to Nott, who had his feet propped up on the coffee table and his arms draped over the back of the sofa. Ginny fell gracefully across from them next to Draco. She placed her legs across his lap, resting her body against the arm of the sofa. Draco eyed her long, porcelain legs.

Nott laughed as Anna snuggled into his side. "Seems like you're a bit distracted, mate." He tossed a pillow at Draco who caught it in the air. "Not at all," he replied, looking over at them. "Settling in alright?" he asked, turning to Ginny, his eyes piercing.

"Oh yes, today was most intriguing. Snape nearly had a fit when half his class failed to appear," Ginny replied, sending Anna a conspiratorial glance.

_A terrible place to end this, but I've been super busy. Chapters might be short. I'll do my best to keep updating this when I have time! Love you all!_

_-Krystal_


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